Eddie's Fund: December 2011

About Eddie's Fund

In 2006, our 10-year-old son had a bone marrow transplant. While recovering in isolation at home, he determined to do something to help a bone marrow transplant family we had met while in the hospital. Something to help his new friend, Eddie. We started Eddie's Fund that week, and seven years later, as Eddie continues his post-transplant recovery and waits for a double lung transplant, our family of five continues to raise funds for Eddie and his family. 100% of all donations to the Fund are paid directly to bill companies to help Eddie's family financially manage the intensity of Eddie's recovery. On behalf of Eddie and his family, we thank you for offering hope and help and joining with us to support our buddy, Eddie.

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Merry Christmas from Eddie and his family

Dear Supporters of Eddie's Fund, On behalf of Eddie and his family, I'd like to wish you a very merry Christmas season! We so appreciate your prayers and support for Eddie during these past months. A handful of people have chosen to give monthly to the Fund. We had a generous donor emerge to help us pay off their family's car this fall. And colleagues at our workplaces raised a couple hundred dollars in support of Eddie's Fund this holiday season. For all these gifts, we are so grateful. These months have been difficult ones for Eddie and his family. Eddie has continued to struggle with his health in some very serious ways. I've been very concerned with him as he continues to use a feeding tube and to struggle with maintaining a healthy weight. This November/December marked SIX YEARS since Eddie's original diagnosis, and I mourned the passing of that time with Eddie's mom, Kori. And, sadly, Eddie's grandmother passed away the day after Thanksgiving, compounding the family's grief. In all of this, the generosity of a few strangers has been very meaningful to Kori. Besides paying off their family car, the Fund was able to help with some car repairs (especially when the car's tires fell off one day on their way home from a Boston hospital visit!--we are so glad they were safe) and to help with some other bills, too. As always, we pay these bills directly to the bill companies, and 100% of all your donations go directly to these payments. I can't tell you how often Kori has called me in tears...for all the sadness of these months, I've been surprised to find they are so often tears of joy as she calls to thank me for another paid bill, another relief, another surprising gift. Thank you, friends. You have loved well, and in this particular season, your burden-carrying has been especially meaningful. Please continue to pray for Eddie and his family as Eddie's medical complications continue to confound the best bone marrow doctors in Boston. Tomorrow I'll sit down with Kori, Eddie's mom, over our annual Christmas lunch-out, and give her a big hug, and think of all of you, and be very grateful for how you have shared in this family's journey. Blessings to you, Melissa